Improvement in leather tips for boots and shoes



A. VAN- WA'GENEN.

LEATHER TIPS FOR BQOTS AND SHOES. No.185,803. Patented Dec. 26,1876.

WITNESSES IJV'VENTOR Q43 1 i g y 2/ I W my:

TH E GRAPHIC CU-ILY 'rnn STATES PATENT ALBERT VAN WAGENEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 185,803, dated December 26,1876; application filed July 13, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT VAN WAG-E- NEN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Leather Tips for Boots and Shoes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1. represents a. view of the strip of leather to form the tip; Fig. 2, a similar view of the strip split from one edge through its thickness, and with the corners of the upper split part rounded; Fig. 3, a cross-section of the same; Fig. 4, a similar view of the tip, as formed from the split strip, and showing the projecting front shoulder, and Figs. 5 and 6 views of the tip notched at the seat part to allow for the bend, and also formed without such notching.

In a shoe-tip I have previously invented that part of the tip which extends above the inner so1e,.and serves to protect the upper from wear, is made by uniting two pieces of leather together, and raising the upper piece to form a tip or guard of greater or less height.

My improved tip is formed from a strip of leather, S, a half an inch or more in width, and as long as desired, and this strip I split in the middle of its thickness, (or it may be better to leave the side which is to form the tip a little the thickest,) so as to leave it united together at the front part along the dotted line a in Fig. 1, about the distance of an eighth of an inch, more or less, and this serves to leave a solid union of the seat I) and the tip part 0 without expense, and much more firmly than can be done by any other method known to me.

This split strip is then bent into shape, one portion, 0, is raised up to form the tip, and the other part, b, retains its flat position to form a strip-seat. Notches may be cut in the lower part to facilitate the crimping process, or it may be formed into shape without notching.

By this method I obtain a protection not only equal to the thickness of the solid thickness of the leather before being split, but as much higher as the split portion extends above the thickness of the leather with which the tip is formed, thus insuring not only the protection afforded by the raised portion of the tip, but a protection at the point after the raised portion may have been worn away.

Not split-ting the strip all the way through, and raising the upper portion, leaves a projecting edge, 6, outside of the tip itself, forming a part of the sole, and on which may be impressed imitation stitches or not, as de sired; or this projecting edge may trimmedofi, as shown. When trimmed off the front portion of the tip will show no portion of the sole when applied between the outer sole and upper.

These tips, when formed in dies, will present a very neat appearance, and as they can be made of sole-leather strips, which are very durable, will afford very great protection to the toes of boots and shoes against Wear; and as this can be made of narrow strips of leather, which are useless for any other purpose, and as the labor is comparatively nothing, a tip can be produced at little cost, and with little expense for machinery.

In splitting this strip of leather it may be desirable to leave that portion which forms the raised tip thickest next to where it is united to the main piece or seat.

This tip can be made in any color desired, to match the upper leather of which the shoe is made, thus afibrding an article much needed to meet the requirements of difi'erent manufacturers.

The particular shape or style of the tip can be changed without any change in the nature of the invention.

The upper portion of this split strip is rounded off at its ends.

I claim As a new manufacture a shoe-tip, constructed from an originally-narrow strip of leather, split part of its width. leaving a solid union of the split parts, and having the finished shape, substantially as herein described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own invention I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT VAN WAGENEN.

Witnesses:

A. W. ADAMS, A. E. H. JOHNSON. 

